Third generation · Fox-body · 1979–1993
1982Ford Mustang
The long-running Fox-body, built on Ford’s Fox platform from 1979 to 1993.
Photo: “1982 Ford Mustang 3.3 GL (13667933095).jpg” by Kieran White from Manchester, England / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Quick facts
- Engines
- 4offered2.3 I4 → 302 "5.0 HO" V8 (2-bbl, GT)
- Top output
- 157hp302 "5.0 HO" V8 (2-bbl, GT)
- Production
- 130,418units
- Base price
- $6,346base coupe
- Today
- ≈$20,600inflation-adjusted MSRP, not market value
Body stylesCoupe (notchback) · Hatchback (3-door)
The 1982 model year
Overview
"The Boss is Back." Ford revived the GT after a 13-year absence and brought back a real 302 V8 — a re-engineered 5.0 High Output rated at 157 hp, with a 2-barrel carb, dual exhaust, and a hotter cam. After three years of downsized engines, the Mustang was a performer again. (Horsepower figures are SAE net.)
Specifications
- Engines
- 2.3 I488 hp
- 3.3 I687 hp
- 255 (4.2) V8120 hp
- 302 "5.0 HO" V8 (2-bbl, GT)157 hp
- Transmissions
- 4-speed manual, 5-speed manual, 3-speed automatic
- Body styles
- Coupe (notchback), Hatchback (3-door)
- Base price
- $6,346 (base coupe)See what that's worth today →
- Production
- 130,418
Year over year
What changed
- The GT returned after 13 years — Ford's "The Boss is Back" campaign.
- The 302 V8 came back as a 157-hp 5.0 High Output (revised cam, dual exhaust, larger 2-bbl carb).
- The C5 automatic replaced the C4.
- The 255 (4.2) V8 continued alongside the new 5.0 HO for its final year.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The performance turning point of the generation — the GT and 5.0 HO revival.
- The "5.0 HO" badge that defined the rest of the decade starts here.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- The 5.0 HO is a robust Windsor small-block with deep parts support.
- Carbureted cold-start and idle quirks are normal for the era; verify the dual exhaust and HO cam are intact on a 'GT'.
- Inspect for Fox-body rust.
What it costs now
Price today
Current market value
We don't publish a market estimate for the 1982 model year yet. A valuation ships here only when it can be sourced and dated — we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Original MSRP adjusted for inflation (CPI, 2024); not the car's current market/collector value. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (U.S. city average, all items), annual average.
Maintenance & service parts
Keep your 1982 Mustang on the road
Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.
Service desk
What this car needs & when
Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1982 Ford Mustang. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.
- Service topics
- 8
- Scheduled topics
- 7
- Applicability stated
- 8
- Exact references
- 1
Before ordering Identify your engine, options and build date. Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.
Engine oil and filterView intervals, applicability and sources
Engine oil and filter
Sourced interval available
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Turbo 2.3L engines — normal service
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Severe service — all engines
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Engine oil filterView intervals, applicability and sources
Engine oil filter
Exact reference available
Manufacturer application-catalog fitment only; this does not establish an oil-change interval.
2.3-liter inline-four
Baldwin B2
Source: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Pre-1980 Applications section — Ford 1982, Mustang 2.3-liter inline-four row · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementBaldwin B2
Qty. 1 · Engine oil filter · catalog-listed
Baldwin's manufacturer application table lists this filter for the stated model year and engine. Confirm the VIN and installed engine before ordering.
Catalog: Baldwin Filters — Automotive Applications catalog (2017) · Pre-1980 Applications section — Ford 1982, Mustang 2.3-liter inline-four row · checked
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Spark plugsView intervals, applicability and sources
Spark plugs
Sourced interval available
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Turbo 2.3L engines
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Engine air-filter elementView intervals, applicability and sources
Engine air-filter element
Sourced interval available
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Engine coolantView intervals, applicability and sources
Engine coolant
Sourced interval available
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Crankcase ventilation filterView intervals, applicability and sources
Crankcase ventilation filter
Sourced interval available
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Fuel filterView intervals, applicability and sources
Fuel filter
Sourced interval available
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Automatic transmission fluidView intervals, applicability and sources
Automatic transmission fluid
Sourced interval available
Source: Operation CHARM — 1982 Ford Mustang factory service schedule mirror · Normal and Severe Service 3,000/7,500/15,000/30,000-mile records; all five listed Mustang engine manuals cross-checked · checked
Collect
Bring this model year home
Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.
Sources
- Wikipedia — "Ford Mustang (third generation)"
- FoxStang — 5.0 Fox-body engine specs
- Hagerty
- MustangSpecs — per-year base MSRP
Other Third generation years
Explore the Fox-body generation →All Third generation · Fox-body years →
Documented lineup
Find your exact 1982 Mustang
Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.
Exact factory pairings documentedHow this lineup was verified
These source-backed records identify published body, engine, and transmission combinations. Exact pairings do not by themselves assert that every factory option or special edition is represented.
Browse 1 documented records — use the filters above to narrow the list
No factory configuration matches those filters.